Love of the Land - A Desirable Portion

Selections from classical Torah sources
which express the special relationship between
the People of Israel and Eretz Yisrael

A DESIRABLE PORTION

"My eye gives you counsel," Hashem says
to us through King David (Tehillim 32:8), and our Sages
in the Midrash interpret this as a Divine "wink of the eye"
in regard to Eretz Yisrael.

A king once made a feast for everyone in his palace.
When the serving plate was brought before them, the king winked
a hint to his favorite guest to take a particularly good portion.
When he realized that the hint was not understood, the king took
the portion with his own hands and presented it to his beloved.

In similar fashion, when Hashem divided His world
amongst the nations, each of them selected a land double the size
of Eretz Yisrael. Hashem winked to the Jewish People to
choose Eretz Yisrael but they were reluctant to do so because
it was so much smaller than all the other lands. What did Hashem
do? He took Eretz Yisrael into His hand and presented
it to His favorite people.

This is what the Prophet Yirmiyahu alludes to when
he says in Hashem's Name (Yirmiyahu 3:19) "I presented
you with a desirable land."